The Osage Nation Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) is partnering with the OSU Extension office to hold a Poverty Simulation event on Aug. 12 at the Pawhuska Elementary Cafeteria.

The poverty simulation experience is designed to help participants begin to understand what it might be like to live in a typical low-income family trying to survive from week to week, said Manon Taylor, director for WIC. Teachers will be put in a ‘make believe’ family and live the life of families who might live in poverty.

The simulation allows the participants to reflect on their experience in order to gain further understanding, Taylor said. The experience will allow the teachers to ‘walk in their shoes’ and see the barriers they face every day.

The event begins at 10 a.m. and will break for lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The event will end around 2:30 p.m.

This week is also World Breastfeeding Week and the Osage WIC staff will be doing extensive outreach. Informational bags will be handed out to the area clinics, shelters, hospitals, and other locations that serve expecting and breastfeeding mothers.